Author Topic: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?  (Read 10659 times)

Metalcat

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17394
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #50 on: December 02, 2019, 03:30:49 PM »

So...you tested in the 99th percentile with little to no preparation and you're attributing it to paying reasonable attention in school?

I think your case would be one that demonstrates a high capacity for learning, not the opposite message that you seem to be expressing, which is that everyone should be able to do it.

 Actually, I looked at this just today, and saw, the ACT is designed to see what you learned in HS and the SAT tests for Critical thinking and problem solving. It has more math and checks the concept of students.
 I have never taken the test and was curious how I would do at 64 yrs old.

Understood, so similar to the subject-specific standardized tests that we have where I live. We have standardized math tests in grade 8 I think? Not sure what else though.

We don't have entrance exams at all for university.

use2betrix

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2492
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #51 on: December 02, 2019, 03:58:14 PM »
Good thread - I was just googling my ACT percentile out of curiosity based on the other thread when I saw this.

I got a 20 on my ACT and tried very hard. That’s 52 percentile. I also have mild dyslexia, dysnomia, and a non verbal learning disorder that weren’t identified until college (after struggling through high school with a 2.7 GPA and failing multiple classes.)

I’ve recently leaned that this doesn’t matter because I’m so privileged and that’s the only reason I’m successful.

Somehow I’ve managed to mitigate my learning problems through a lot of very specific habits I’ve created over the years to propel myself in a highly technical advanced career at the same level as most top engineers at one of the countries largest oil & gas companies. Unfortunately I don’t know I could ever complete the schooling my engineering counterparts have. It took me 3 years to get my associates.

I’ve mastered so many other skills that others lack that it seems to overcompensate my inability to quickly learn, remember, and understand.

Don't be salty, we all know you are both very intelligent and incredibly hard working.

I can absolutely believe that you didn't test well based on your history, but based on your posts, I don't believe for a damn second that you aren't fundamentally very intelligent.

I was being purposely salty - I do appreciate your posts and views in the other thread.

I have said many other times on this forum, I have a very hard time learning and understanding things without a lot of work. Fortunately, I can recognize that and find good workarounds for it. While i may struggle with many of the technical concepts, I can make a conscious point to know where to find the answers and know better than to try and quote the answers. Beyond that, I also do things to help my learning. I’m insanely anal regarding my work, following up on tasks, attention to detail. I use my iPad/iPhone religiously and create “action item lists” and take meeting notes weekly. All of these things help compensate for my shortcomings in regards to learning.

I find it interesting that I’ll spend weeks researching and preparing and putting together very technical reports and presentations. My project managers, who are not remotely at my level in regards to many technical aspects (which they have no need to be) are able to listen to my presentations/read reports, and summarize them and pass the information along in such perfect summary’s to other’s with ease. I’m always amazed how they can grasp those details and understand them so easily.

Cranky

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3842
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #52 on: December 02, 2019, 04:11:07 PM »
Probably true.  A few months back, I read an article about the average SAT score for incoming freshman at UCSB.  It was ... high.  So then I got to wondering, what is the average incoming SAT score for other schools, including my alma mater?  And, what was my equivalent SAT score, adjusting the 1987 score at least twice with the re-centering.

So I went down THAT rabbit hole and...
I probably would not get into my alma mater today, at least not easily, with that score.

This illustrates why it's so ridiculous when older people try to claim that Millenials or Gen Z have it so easy or that they don't know failure.   Most of these old people wouldn't stand a chance of getting into their alma maters today.   Extend that to the employment market, housing market, etc.

So, when I went to the University of Colorado, they accepted any Colorado student who graduated in the top 50% of their high school class, IIRC. It’s a lot more selective now, but there are a zillion other state universities to fill in that gap. It’s not like fewer people go to college now.

Cranky

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3842
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #53 on: December 02, 2019, 04:17:46 PM »
I'm glad you posted this! I am now interested in the average IQ across the forum.

Most people never have an actual IQ test done, so it would be hard to get this kind of stat. However, it's not hard to infer average IQ levels based on level of educational and professional accomplishment, as well as just based on demonstrated analytical skills.

If we're using standardized high school tests as a rough proxy for IQ, then it's won't be surprising if the stats here are typically in the 90th+ percentiles.

I am sort of surprised that most people don't get IQ tests. I believe you, just surprised. At least when I was in elementary school (late 80s) I thought they tested everyone for GT testing. Honestly I just remember elementary being non-stop testing- even 30 years ago. We also had a high school teacher that administered a shorter version of the SB (probably not perfect- but a reasonable indicator, I would imagine).

Standardized high school testing and IQ testing generally aren't the same thing AFAIK. IQ tests are quite expensive, so I would be surprised if public schools administered them for everyone.

There are a lot of versions of IQ testing, and I dunno how meaningful any of them are. The school where I taught administered the Iowa test CogAt test every other year, and it’s essentially an IQ test. I was never, ever surprised by the results.

I had a student who went on to get an 800 on the math portion of his SAT. He did not even finish college. I was also not surprised by this. He was very sweet natured but possibly the laziest kid I’ve ever met. I did caution his parents, and they were mightily indignant. (That sound you hear is me having the last laugh.)

SquashingDebt

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 441
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #54 on: December 02, 2019, 05:10:53 PM »
I got 99%+ on the SAT and ACT.  Then I think 97% on the GRE verbal and 80-something% on the GRE math (but that was a perfect score - I guess a lot of people get a perfect score on the math!).

Definitely in the group of people who enjoy test-taking, and had a lot of privilege as a child that helped me succeed (parents that read to me all the time, etc.).

robartsd

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3342
  • Location: Sacramento, CA
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #55 on: December 02, 2019, 05:20:49 PM »
There are a lot of versions of IQ testing, and I dunno how meaningful any of them are. The school where I taught administered the Iowa test CogAt test every other year, and it’s essentially an IQ test. I was never, ever surprised by the results.

I had a student who went on to get an 800 on the math portion of his SAT. He did not even finish college. I was also not surprised by this. He was very sweet natured but possibly the laziest kid I’ve ever met. I did caution his parents, and they were mightily indignant. (That sound you hear is me having the last laugh.)
This sounds a lot like me. I needed a bit of real world experience before I got serious enough to do well in college (except for the indignant parents part).

Buffaloski Boris

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2121
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #56 on: December 02, 2019, 05:39:14 PM »
Interesting thread. I took the ACT and SAT in the early 80s. I don’t remember what I got on the SAT, but I got a 24 on the ACT. So I guess that would put me in the 75th percentile?  I didn’t pay it much mind in the end. I didn’t get into the out of state school I really wanted to go to, so I was destined for in state university. At that time, the admission standard was “can you fog a mirror?”

So I guess I would be above average. But certainly below average on EQ. Thank God that wasn’t used in college admissions at the time.

Sibley

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7428
  • Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #57 on: December 02, 2019, 06:31:51 PM »
I have a sneaking suspicion that most of the responses will come from people who had good scores and those with lower scores will be avoiding this thread.

I agree that it's an interesting question, but it will be very difficult to get a representative sample of forumites. An anonymous poll might get better results.

I don't remember my SAT/ACT scores, have no paperwork that would have them, and really no interest in trying. So that's another category.

startingsmall

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 837
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #58 on: December 02, 2019, 06:39:51 PM »
SAT 1550/1600 in 1996
(750 verbal, 800 math)

GRE 2310/2400 in 2001
(710 verbal, 800 math, 800 analytical)

Shoulda been an engineer.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 03:49:24 AM by startingsmall »

Cpa Cat

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1692
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #59 on: December 02, 2019, 06:57:20 PM »
SAT (high school) - Verbal 97th and Math 89th. I had a study guide to prepare with, but I went to a Canadian school and there were no classes or SAT prep in the system because SAT is not used in Canada.

GMAT (12 years later) - Verbal 99th and Math 66th (Oh, how the mighty had fallen - I made a semi-serious effort to brush up on the Math with a study guide too).

My CPA exam scores ranged from 92nd to 99th percentile.

Unlike others, I still have all of the official score paperwork in my filing cabinet, so I was able to look this up.

Because I'm a giant weirdo. I took the SATs 20 years ago. WTF is wrong with me that I kept this?
« Last Edit: December 02, 2019, 09:03:18 PM by Cpa Cat »

maizefolk

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7400
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #60 on: December 02, 2019, 07:16:06 PM »
I was 99th percentile on SAT verbal and 95th percentile on the quantitative section. Definitely a lazy student though, GPA centered around 3.0 all through HS and college. Or as I prefer to frame it, I discovered the 80/20 rule in terms of effort vs results early in life. ;-)

The SAT got me into the college I attended and the GRE into grad school at all. Today my life trajectory would be a lot more constrained given the political shift away from test scores (and the assumption these measure intellect and/or ability) and towards GPA/class rank (and the assumption these measure intellect and/or ability).

Agree with all the folks who have pointed out people with high scores are likely preferentially posting and people with less high scores are likely preferentially refraining from posting.

clarkfan1979

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3352
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Pueblo West, CO
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #61 on: December 02, 2019, 07:23:53 PM »
When I was age 16, I took the Pre-ACT and got a 16. Not too good. I was more of an athlete than a student at that point in my life. I got mostly B's, but I probably only studied and did homework 5-7 hours/week outside of class.

My mother paid to get me a tutor and my scores steadily improved to an 18, 22 and finally a 25, which I guess is the 78th percentile.

I think doing well on standardized tests is more about problem solving than general intelligence. You need to learn the game and how to win at the game.

badger1988

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 141
  • Age: 36
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #62 on: December 02, 2019, 07:41:40 PM »
I have a sneaking suspicion that most of the responses will come from people who had good scores and those with lower scores will be avoiding this thread.

I agree that it's an interesting question, but it will be very difficult to get a representative sample of forumites. An anonymous poll might get better results.

I don't remember my SAT/ACT scores, have no paperwork that would have them, and really no interest in trying. So that's another category.

Tally one more in that category.

mizzourah2006

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1063
  • Location: NWA
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #63 on: December 03, 2019, 06:53:49 AM »
Took the ACT in HS, but didn't really prep at all for it, was more interested in sports and hanging out with friends. Got a 28. I took the GRE in 2007 and actually prepped for it in that I understood the types of questions they would ask, etc. and got a 740/800 Quant and a 600/800 Verbal.

mountain mustache

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 557
  • Age: 33
  • Location: Colorado
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #64 on: December 03, 2019, 07:44:22 AM »
I don't remember SAT scores. I feel like I did fine though, maybe 90th percentile? I didn't do any test prep, although the high school I went to was super focused on standardized test prep, my mom was not into spending money on that. I took the ACT and got a 29, and I only remember that because it's an easy number to remember, and it got me a full academic scholarship for University. My grades were average in high school because I was swimming 5 hours a day and exhausted. Once I got my life together in college, stopped being obsessed with sports as a priority over school, I graduated near the top of my class which was nice after 3.5 years of really hard work/lots of studying.

6 years after graduating college I recently studied for, and took the GRE because I thought I might like to go to grad school. I did pretty well (already forgot my score numbers, ha) but I was SO stressed and it was hard to get back in the swing of studying/academics/unnecessary vocabulary after 7 years of working in the outdoor industry, not using big words, not having to really..."think" on a higher level, if that makes sense? I studied for a year, which I think was great because I eventually got my brain back in the thinking game, and felt like the process of studying for the GRE prepared me mentally for the idea of grad school and how much work/studying/time I would be spending on academics again. However, I felt like the GRE was the most useless test I've ever taken, in terms of content, and relatedness to anything I ever studied in high school, college, etc. I basically learned entirely new information, tailored exactly to the GRE, but not to any real life studies I could imagine. I'm not sure it even has any bearing on actual intellegence since you are basically memorizing GRE specific information...to me, there was no "innate intelligence" content on that test, but that was just my take away personally.

specialkayme

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 278
  • Location: Mid-South Atlantic
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #65 on: December 03, 2019, 08:57:18 AM »
My understanding of the LSAT is that it isn’t a great indicator of law school or career performance (although I did very well in law school), but it is well correlated with bar exam passage rates. Ie. people who do well at the LSAT are good at tests.

My law school ran the numbers on our particular class to determine correlations between LSAT scores, law school class rank, undergrad GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and bar passage (1st time) rates. I thought their findings were very interesting:
Correlation between undergrad GPA & bar passage - nearly none
Correlation between SAT/ACT & bar passage - low
Correlation between LSAT & law school class rank - low
Correlation between LSAT & bar passage - low (but better than SAT/ACT)
Correlation between law school class rank & bar passage - very high

This was just my class, so the representative sample size likely isn't statistically significant. But I found it interesting.

pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #66 on: December 03, 2019, 09:21:08 AM »
99th percentile verbal, 98th math.

Sailor Sam

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5731
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Steel Beach
  • Semper...something
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #67 on: December 03, 2019, 09:24:03 AM »
@MonkeyJenga , what did Sammie get on the SATs!? Hmm?

ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #68 on: December 03, 2019, 09:33:58 AM »
96th percentile composite (32) and 99th in math (34) on ACT.  I don't remember the score but I know reading was my lowest.

Good test taker, good-to-mediocre high school student, bad college student.  Had a bit of a Jeff Winger "Funny thing about being smart is that you can get through most of life without ever having to do any work." streak until my early 20s.

DadJokes

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2360
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #69 on: December 03, 2019, 09:56:02 AM »
96th percentile composite (32) and 99th in math (34) on ACT.  I don't remember the score but I know reading was my lowest.

Good test taker, good-to-mediocre high school student, bad college student.  Had a bit of a Jeff Winger "Funny thing about being smart is that you can get through most of life without ever having to do any work." streak until my early 20s.

I think I'll have to use that quote. I'm still living it in my 30s.

mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10881
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #70 on: December 03, 2019, 10:09:17 AM »
Quote
I have said many other times on this forum, I have a very hard time learning and understanding things without a lot of work. Fortunately, I can recognize that and find good workarounds for it. While i may struggle with many of the technical concepts, I can make a conscious point to know where to find the answers and know better than to try and quote the answers. Beyond that, I also do things to help my learning. I’m insanely anal regarding my work, following up on tasks, attention to detail. I use my iPad/iPhone religiously and create “action item lists” and take meeting notes weekly. All of these things help compensate for my shortcomings in regards to learning.

This is good though.  I was always a really good test taker, I learn ... okay.  Some concepts, I have to work really hard at.  I am an engineer, I can learn a lot of things...but spatially, it takes me a LONG time if I cannot touch/ feel/ SEE the thing.

I lecture a fair number of my coworkers.  Many of them are super bright, PhDs in engineering.  Some organized, many not.  A lot of them have a tendency to rely on memory.  I basically warn them that they aren't gonna be 30 forever.  The people that I see that are in their 50s and 60s and still very successful have developed systems for recording and retrieving information.  Some will spout out "well, we ran this test and got this result" when in reality, there is only a 50% chance they are correct.

I'm 49  but 10 years ago I came across a super organized coworker, and I basically adopted many of his methods.  Otherwise, I learn by doing...over and over again.  I keep lots of lists!

Loren Ver

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Handlebar Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 1223
  • Location: Midwest USA
  • I Retired. Yah!
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #71 on: December 03, 2019, 11:16:02 AM »
I was a good student in high school, almost 3.8 or something GPA, lots of honors and AP classes..
SAT was some where around 1100 or 1250, so between 60-70 percentile.  I took it twice and worked hard for it.  My ACT was 24, so also around the 70 percentile.

It was good enough to get me into Purdue.  College was really really hard  on me and it took me five and a half years to get my double major (had to retake several classes), but I made it.  I still really struggle to learn some things, I'm really just not that smart (I'm better at clever than smart).  I am diligent though and I play towards my strengths. 

pdxvandal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 501
  • Location: Earth
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #72 on: December 03, 2019, 11:26:27 AM »
I never took the SAT, but believe I scored a 24 on the ACT last century. I was in some AP classes, but also worked 15-20 hours a week on the side (family was mostly broke) and played sports, so didn't always apply myself to my studies although I had something like a 3.75 GPA and easily got into an in-state school.

I'm way better with soft skills, discipline and personal finance than overrated test scores, which allowed me to graduate college with zero debt and a full-time job with benefits at age 22.

partgypsy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5207
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #73 on: December 03, 2019, 11:52:56 AM »
I kinda screwed up both my SAT and ACT scores; the former I didn't study for plus I didn't get enough sleep (really wanted to see the film Diva so went to downtown Chicago to see it and didn't get back until late). ACT I was complacent because I usually test well, but accidently skipped 2 entire pages of the English section, bringing my overall score down to 27.

I did better in the GREs, around 86% math, 99% Verbal (missed 3 questions) and logic was either 92 or 97%.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 11:57:01 AM by partgypsy »

partgypsy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5207
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #74 on: December 03, 2019, 12:18:06 PM »
Only ever took the ACT (once with zero prep). Got a 34, moved on with life.

Standardized tests pretty much only test: were you paying reasonable attention in school? I wouldn't get too excited about saying you're in the nth percentile of human intelligence based on them, hah.

Is 34 a good score or a bad score?

34/36, 99% percentile composite (according to the links in the OP)

So...you tested in the 99th percentile with little to no preparation and you're attributing it to paying reasonable attention in school?

I think your case would be one that demonstrates a high capacity for learning, not the opposite message that you seem to be expressing, which is that everyone should be able to do it.

It reminds me of when I was in undergrad and used to have the attitude that anyone should be able to maintain an A- average with just the least amount of basic effort. Then I started teaching and realized just how criminally wrong that attitude was. I saw countless students work their asses off and struggle to obtain a low B grade.

If you find standardized testing easy, then congrats, you are one of the intelligent elite! The reason it doesn't feel important is because in and of itself, it isn't. But if a standardized test feels easy to someone, then it's not because it's easy, it's because they are atypically intelligent in measurable ways.

This is a really good point. I have 2 kids. One kind of like me, who tests ridiculously well. My 2nd kid has severe dyslexia and dyscalculia. So not only does she not do "well" on these tests, to even get a score at her grade level is impossible at this point. It doesn't mean she is not smart enough to have a decent life, but no not everyone does well on these tests. And I have had the opposite experience. While I went on and got a phd and postdoc and work in research, my sister who tests the same or even better than I when we were in HS, dropped out of 2 schools and has struggled all her life. High intelligence is not all it's cracked up to be, and the fact that she was smart just mean she has even more guilt/blame placed on her (lazy, etc) that she should have done not just fine but excelled.
It has made me realize as a parent yes I want my kids to learn, to do as well as they can in school. But most importantly be decent people with some life skills, so they can end up doing things in their life they find rewarding, as well as being able to support themselves.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 12:23:01 PM by partgypsy »

tedman

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 18
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #75 on: December 03, 2019, 12:21:29 PM »
I just want to add that Many people don’t know how the test actually works. They throw out questions that lots of people get right or wrong, at least on the math section. I’m going to use my scores and my brothers to highlight it.

He got a perfect score over all but got one wrong and one not answered on math questions 48 and 50 I think. I got a 700 in math, with two incorrect questions, 4 and 7. But I answered the rest correct, but those were HUGE mistakes in the weighting system. The fact that I was half asleep for testing starting at whatever god awful time and section one on math is obvious ( I was an asshole back then and wasn’t going to bed earlier).

My point is that the number can be misleading, but your rank within your cohort is super important and whether you did it in one test. I got a 1440 IIRC in one sitting. Something like 4000 people got a perfect score my brothers year but a very small % did it in one sitting like he did, and colleges get that info which is huge. So when you hear “Harvard could admit all perfect SAT scores and leave 1200 people out” they’re not including people like my brother who get a bump from the one sitting perfect.

I still think it’s a reasonable proxy for success since I did far worse than I should have, I got
A 780 on the Math II for instance, but i was a lazy shit and still am in so many ways.

I have a good memory and I am quick which makes me a natural test taker, doesn’t indicate all that much To me. The most successful guy I know is slow and at times makes me want to rip my hair out dealing with him... but give him time and he could break down anything and understand it. If the SAT was actually hard and very time sensitive I know I’d beat this guy on the test... but if you wanted to bet on someone for “winning” in most areas of life you’d bet on him 99/100. That tough flaw inherent in all of these tests.

BECABECA

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 482
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Costa Mesa, CA
  • Retired since July 2017, not bored yet!
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #76 on: December 03, 2019, 12:28:52 PM »
95th percentile. I remember my score because my wife got 96th percentile. Later we both took the GRE and scored the exact same, but I can’t remember the specifics of that test since a tie didn’t spark competitive memory.

OurTown

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1372
  • Age: 54
  • Location: Tennessee
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #77 on: December 03, 2019, 12:41:41 PM »
My understanding of the LSAT is that it isn’t a great indicator of law school or career performance (although I did very well in law school), but it is well correlated with bar exam passage rates. Ie. people who do well at the LSAT are good at tests.

My law school ran the numbers on our particular class to determine correlations between LSAT scores, law school class rank, undergrad GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and bar passage (1st time) rates. I thought their findings were very interesting:
Correlation between undergrad GPA & bar passage - nearly none
Correlation between SAT/ACT & bar passage - low
Correlation between LSAT & law school class rank - low
Correlation between LSAT & bar passage - low (but better than SAT/ACT)
Correlation between law school class rank & bar passage - very high

This was just my class, so the representative sample size likely isn't statistically significant. But I found it interesting.


That is interesting.  My LSAT was 179 (out of 180).  That was in 2005.  Class rank was 4th out of 125.  Passed the bar (thanks be to Zeus).   

MonkeyJenga

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8894
  • Location: the woods
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #78 on: December 03, 2019, 01:15:08 PM »
@MonkeyJenga , what did Sammie get on the SATs!? Hmm?

I can't recall, but I believe it was fairly okay. :P

iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5672
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #79 on: December 03, 2019, 01:19:11 PM »
Funny that I just a few months ago ran across all this paperwork and pitched it. I had always thought that my AC T score was 25. I don’t math so that part of the test always drags my score way down. But no it wasn’t even that high! It was like 22 so that is not brag worthy at all.  We didn’t take the SATs in Iowa. I don’t remember my GRE scores, but the analytical part was as high or higher than verbal, and math was in the toilet.

I do remember three instances of IQ test from elementary school, one  as high as 120 but the others were quite a bit lower, dont remember those numbers. I got those records when I was about  20 years old.  But that just goes to show one  I Q test doesn’t tell much of a story.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 01:35:27 PM by iris lily »

Cranky

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3842
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #80 on: December 03, 2019, 01:19:37 PM »
And now I’m wondering why I remember my SAT scores from 1971, when I’ve forgotten so many more important things!

ericrugiero

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 740
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #81 on: December 03, 2019, 01:35:18 PM »
I'm not totally sure what we are learning here.  There are some smart people/good test takers on this board.  Almost everyone who answered scored very well but there is almost certainly some selection bias here because if you did well you are more likely to post.  I do think it's likely that the majority of the board is above average intelligence and tests well.

I got a 1400 out of 1600 on my SAT (720 math and 680 English) which appears to be somewhere around 95th percentile depending which web site you believe.  I also took a couple online IQ tests a few years ago that scored me around 125-130.  My sister in law scored about the same but she was good in the opposite questions from me.  I did well in the spatial reasoning and logic questions while she was good at the verbal questions.  We joked about how well we could do if we worked together.     

mathlete

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2070
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #82 on: December 03, 2019, 01:40:14 PM »
I'm not totally sure what we are learning here.

When combined with the other thread that this thread spawned from, I think we're learning that,

Success as measured by building wealth (using presence in a FI community as a proxy) is highly correlated with aptitude, as measured by standardized college entrance exams.

ericrugiero

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 740
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #83 on: December 03, 2019, 01:47:55 PM »
I'm not totally sure what we are learning here.

When combined with the other thread that this thread spawned from, I think we're learning that,

Success as measured by building wealth (using presence in a FI community as a proxy) is highly correlated with aptitude, as measured by standardized college entrance exams.

Maybe.  There is still at ton of selection bias going on here.  This thread doesn't prove that the average IQ or SAT/ACT on this board is above average.  Forum members who scored 900 are WAY less likely to post that than someone who scored 1400. 

Note:  I do believe the board average for intelligence is probably well above the normal average.  I'm just pointing out that this thread doesn't PROVE it. 

mathlete

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2070
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #84 on: December 03, 2019, 01:56:32 PM »
Maybe.  There is still at ton of selection bias going on here.  This thread doesn't prove that the average IQ or SAT/ACT on this board is above average.  Forum members who scored 900 are WAY less likely to post that than someone who scored 1400. 

Note:  I do believe the board average for intelligence is probably well above the normal average.  I'm just pointing out that this thread doesn't PROVE it.

Of course.

But the first round of selection bias is selecting a group of people who are intensely focused on building wealth and have the means to do so. Not to mention, people who ostensibly have cushy enough jobs to post about standardized test scores during normal US working hours.

It's not scientific, but it probably helps confirm what we already know.

Davnasty

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2793
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #85 on: December 03, 2019, 02:33:12 PM »
What percentage of US citizens have even taken an SAT test?

As far as I understand, it's only intended for those who plan on applying for college.

mathlete

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2070
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #86 on: December 03, 2019, 02:36:25 PM »
What percentage of US citizens have even taken an SAT test?

As far as I understand, it's only intended for those who plan on applying for college.

Good point. I would guess that even taking the SAT is an indicator of higher aptitude.

maizefolk

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7400
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #87 on: December 03, 2019, 02:41:57 PM »
What percentage of US citizens have even taken an SAT test?

As far as I understand, it's only intended for those who plan on applying for college.

About 2M out of 3.7M HS graduates each year. 1.9M take the SAT. Not sure how common it is to take both, but clearly at least some people do

Cranky

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3842
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #88 on: December 03, 2019, 03:59:05 PM »
Every kid in my very low income school district takes the PSAT, which is important for the National Merit Scholarships. The take it at school during a school day the fall of their junior year.

This is the Midwest, so the ACTs are more common, but I’m pretty sure every kid takes those, at school, their senior year.

The SATs were only given locally once or twice/year when my kids were that age, but again, we’re in the Midwest and people aren’t really looking to go away.

robartsd

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3342
  • Location: Sacramento, CA
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #89 on: December 03, 2019, 04:38:02 PM »
What percentage of US citizens have even taken an SAT test?

As far as I understand, it's only intended for those who plan on applying for college.

About 2M out of 3.7M HS graduates each year. 1.9M take the SAT. Not sure how common it is to take both, but clearly at least some people do
As I recall, choice of SAT vs. ACT was based on which test the colleges you wanted to apply to accepted/preferred in the application process. I'm sure there are some college bound high school students who have colleges on both sides of that question on their list.

FireHiker

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1141
  • Location: So Cal
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #90 on: December 03, 2019, 04:46:34 PM »
1510 on the SAT back in 1995. Not sure what percentile but I would guess 99%. My husband however scored something in the 1000-1100 range and did a stint in the Navy before he went back to college. We are both electrical engineers now with degrees from the same (excellent) University. Different people take different paths and some people test better than others. I was pretty happy with my score but it certainly isn’t everything.

jeroly

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 606
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #91 on: December 03, 2019, 04:52:10 PM »
You are going to see bias in self reporting,  so take what’s posted in this thread with a grain of salt...

However, based on how many people here don’t know when to use principle vs. principal, loose vs. lose, their vs. they’re vs. there, its vs. it’s, whose vs. who’s, etc., in their posts, I’d guess the median SAT verbal score here is about the 50th percentile.

maizefolk

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7400
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #92 on: December 03, 2019, 05:05:53 PM »
However, based on how many people here don’t know when to use principle vs. principal, loose vs. lose, their vs. they’re vs. there, its vs. it’s, whose vs. who’s, etc., in their posts, I’d guess the median SAT verbal score here is about the 50th percentile.

Fortunately neither spelling nor grammar are on the SAT. Or my life would have turned out far differently.

ColaMan

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #93 on: December 03, 2019, 05:26:54 PM »
What percentage of US citizens have even taken an SAT test?

As far as I understand, it's only intended for those who plan on applying for college.

About 2M out of 3.7M HS graduates each year. 1.9M take the SAT. Not sure how common it is to take both, but clearly at least some people do
As I recall, choice of SAT vs. ACT was based on which test the colleges you wanted to apply to accepted/preferred in the application process. I'm sure there are some college bound high school students who have colleges on both sides of that question on their list.

This SAT v. ACT thing is consistent with my recollection as well.  I graduated high school in the early 80s in the midwest, and I wasn't sure where I would apply, so I ended up taking both.  Scored 99th percentile on ACT composite, and 99th verbal and 98th math on SAT

dogboyslim

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 526
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #94 on: December 03, 2019, 05:37:09 PM »
However, based on how many people here don’t know when to use principle vs. principal, loose vs. lose, their vs. they’re vs. there, its vs. it’s, whose vs. who’s, etc., in their posts, I’d guess the median SAT verbal score here is about the 50th percentile.

Fortunately neither spelling nor grammar are on the SAT. Or my life would have turned out far differently.

Strange, I remembered there being a writing composition section where you had to write an essay.  I don't remember my SAT score because by the time they came back, I'd picked a school based upon my ACT.  I got 30 on every section which I think was 90ish percentile.  Didn't do any study or prep.  Took the GMAT after being in the work world for a few years and got a 735.  I don't know what that is percentile-wise, but it was good enough.  I remember the hardest part was that I had to hand write ("DO NOT PRINT") a paragraph saying I wouldn't cheat or copy the questions.  I print or type everything because my handwriting is atrocious.  I was literally sitting in the lobby trying to remember how to make some of the letters in cursive.

It wasn't until I started my professional certification exams that I learned how to study.  Prior to that, I lived with a very last minute philosophy on schoolwork and study.

Milizard

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 769
  • Location: West Michigan
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #95 on: December 03, 2019, 06:39:00 PM »
I felt like I bombed the ACT with a 28. I took it sitting across from a friend and an acquaintance that I was upset with.  Strange, the things you remember. I don't know what my score was on the PSAT, but I got a commended scholar, and it was probably somewhere around the 99% range.  I didn't know good students prepped for these tests. I thought the prepping help was only for bad students. I forgot about or overslept for the SAT.  I completely fogot about when I rescheduled it. It wasn't on purpose--i didn't hate taking these tests. My parents took no interest in them other than paying for the test itself. Now, as an adult, I realize all the gaming/prepping I could have and should have done to get the best score possible. It's sad, really. These should purely measure how well people can perform, but there's a big dose of being-in-the-know-about-how-it-all-works mixed in. I guess that aspect is easier now with the internet, but it wasn't around quite yet back then.

maizefolk

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7400
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #96 on: December 03, 2019, 06:53:53 PM »
However, based on how many people here don’t know when to use principle vs. principal, loose vs. lose, their vs. they’re vs. there, its vs. it’s, whose vs. who’s, etc., in their posts, I’d guess the median SAT verbal score here is about the 50th percentile.

Fortunately neither spelling nor grammar are on the SAT. Or my life would have turned out far differently.

Strange, I remembered there being a writing composition section where you had to write an essay.  I don't remember my SAT score because by the time they came back, I'd picked a school based upon my ACT.  I got 30 on every section which I think was 90ish percentile.  Didn't do any study or prep.  Took the GMAT after being in the work world for a few years and got a 735.  I don't know what that is percentile-wise, but it was good enough.  I remember the hardest part was that I had to hand write ("DO NOT PRINT") a paragraph saying I wouldn't cheat or copy the questions.  I print or type everything because my handwriting is atrocious.  I was literally sitting in the lobby trying to remember how to make some of the letters in cursive.

It wasn't until I started my professional certification exams that I learned how to study.  Prior to that, I lived with a very last minute philosophy on schoolwork and study.

I think they changed it for a few years?

I took the SAT when it was still two sections (verbal and quantitative) and out of 1600, not after they added the extra section to make it 2400. Although even then I believe the intent was to grad you on your ability to frame and convey a logical argument, not dock people points for poor spelling, grammar, or penmanship (although obviously the human graders may indeed have been biased by these factors).

robartsd

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3342
  • Location: Sacramento, CA
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #97 on: December 04, 2019, 09:05:40 AM »
Strange, I remembered there being a writing composition section where you had to write an essay.
The essay was added as a required section in 2005. With three required 800 point sections scores from 2005 to 2015 maxed out at 2400. In 2016 the essay section became optional and the base score returned to 1600 (though there are separate required reading and writing test sections, they are combined into a single evidenced based reading and writing score).

dogboyslim

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 526
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #98 on: December 04, 2019, 09:36:35 AM »
Strange, I remembered there being a writing composition section where you had to write an essay.
The essay was added as a required section in 2005. With three required 800 point sections scores from 2005 to 2015 maxed out at 2400. In 2016 the essay section became optional and the base score returned to 1600 (though there are separate required reading and writing test sections, they are combined into a single evidenced based reading and writing score).

I took it in 1990 or 91.  ;)

MilesTeg

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1363
Re: What was your SAT or ACT percentile/score?
« Reply #99 on: December 04, 2019, 11:10:24 AM »
My understanding of the LSAT is that it isn’t a great indicator of law school or career performance (although I did very well in law school), but it is well correlated with bar exam passage rates. Ie. people who do well at the LSAT are good at tests.

My law school ran the numbers on our particular class to determine correlations between LSAT scores, law school class rank, undergrad GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and bar passage (1st time) rates. I thought their findings were very interesting:
Correlation between undergrad GPA & bar passage - nearly none
Correlation between SAT/ACT & bar passage - low
Correlation between LSAT & law school class rank - low
Correlation between LSAT & bar passage - low (but better than SAT/ACT)
Correlation between law school class rank & bar passage - very high

This was just my class, so the representative sample size likely isn't statistically significant. But I found it interesting.

Doesn't seem to interesting. The bar exam tests very specific knowledge gained in law school, not general knowledge or intelligence. That the people who did the best in the classes and tests meant to instill that knowledge were most likely to pass a test of that knowledge seems pretty expected, no?